gym Shoe
by mae-E
Summary: Sam leaps into a young female gymnast. His mission is to save his roomate from being murdered. who is his roomate? none other than Kimberly Hart! rated T for possible corse language, just in case.
1. prologue

_*A.n.* this short story is a birthday gift for falcon4crane. I hope she enjoys this. Also I want to give a big shout out to Scarlet haired slythern. For without her help and betaing this never would have gotten as far as it has. :) So this is a Quantum Leap/power rangers crossover fanfiction. And let me start off by saying that I was unsure of some of the dates and such so I had to take my best guesses, so don't freak out too badly if I'm more than a little off on a few things. With that said enjoy the show!_

_**DISCLAIMER:**_ I own nothing. So don't bug me!

**Prologue:**

_March 10, 1994_

As the blinding blue light and electrical charge receded from his senses, Sam found himself lying flat on his back looking up at the ceiling.

"GINA!" A voice called out.

Sam suddenly sees several young girls in leotards and middle aged man in sweats and a whistle around his neck, come into his line of vision.

Overlapping voices of people asking, "What happened?" "Is she hurt?" "How bad is it?" "How did it happen?" Among other things of that nature that would fall into that line of questioning.

Sam feels himself being picked up under the arms and brought to a sitting position. He looks down and sees himself wearing a leotard exactly like the other girls. He feels a touch on his right shoulder, and turns his head in that direction, a petite caramel hued brunette girl looking at him.

"Gina, are you alright?" she asks.

Without thinking the phrase that slips from his mouth was "Oh, Boy!"


	2. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER: 1**

"Kim, Carol, Help Gina to the medical bay then come right back here," the coach ordered. Sam is helped to his feet and finds he can't put pressure on his right ankle.

"Does that hurt bad?" asked carol.

"Yeah it does," answers Sam.

"Lean on us then, and we will be to first aid in no time," says Kim.

Sam just nods, and the trio limps off.

About 15 minutes later they arrive at the medical station. They leave Sam in the capable hands of the medical team. 45 minutes and an X-ray later, Sam is laying on an exam table with his ankle wrapped, elevated, and with an ice pack draped over it, left alone in the room to rest, while the X-ray is read over and discussed.

The chamber door suddenly opens and out walks AL. Hand link in one hand a cigar in the other, and dressed normally for him in the clothes in the loudest colors and craziest patterns.

As Soon as Sam sees AL he asks, "AL, what the hell am I doing here?"

"Recuperating at the moment it would seem," answered AL.

"That's not what I meant and you know it!" Sam says making sure he is not too loud, as to not draw attention to himself.

"Why am I a woman again?" asked Sam slightly exasperated.

"Actually you're an 18 year old gymnast named Gina Coldwell. You know this reminds me of a gymnast I met a few years back named Harriet. She could do the most incredible trick with her…" AL was cut off mid-sentence by Sam who says," This is so not the time for one of your escapades stories! Just tell me why I'm here and what the date is."

AL stuck the cigar in his mouth and started to type on the hand link. After a minute or two, AL takes the cigar from his mouth and says, "The date is March 10, 1994. Ziggy says there is a 95 percent chance that you're here to save the life of your roommate Kimberly hart."

"What happens to her?" asks Sam.

"Well according to records from the time, two weeks from today she is found brutally murdered on the outskirts of the city. Reports indicate that the badly beaten body was most likely dumped there after the fact," AL answers.

"Is the killer ever caught?" asks Sam.

"No, the case goes cold and is never solved," answers AL.

"How am I going to pull off being a gymnast? I don't know the first thing about gymnastics," asks Sam.

"You don't need to. With that sprained ankle you'll be sidelined two three weeks easy. You just have to worry about some moderate physical therapy," Says AL.

"How exactly did that happen anyway?" asked Sam.

"Well as close as we can tell is that Gina was mid stunt or flip or whatever when you leaped in, this threw her off balance and landing wrong on that ankle. Poor girl arrived in the waiting room scared out of her mind. I told her that this was all a dream she was having, from hitting her head on the botched landing."

Just then the doorknob to the room started to turn.

"Go and find out everything you can about Kim, and just how much time we have between now and when she is found," Sam whispers quickly to AL.

"Got it Sam," says AL as he presses a few buttons on the hand link and the chamber door opens and AL steps in then closes it behind him.

Just then the door opens and the nurse comes in. "Who are you talking to?" she asks.

"Just giving myself a pep talk, trying to stay positive," says Sam a bit hesitantly.

"That's good," says the nurse. "The doctor said it is just a sprain. You stay off it a few days, then little physical therapy and you'll be as good as new. Now I'll have one of the attendants take you to your room," said the nurse, and then leaves the room.

A moment later an attendant comes in and helps Sam off the table and says, "Let's get you back to your room Miss. Coldwell."

"Sure," says Sam while leaning on the attendant.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Several hours later Sam was sitting on the couch in the living room, having managed to change clothes all by himself earlier. At this point he saw his reflection for the first time. Gina had long fiery red hair, pulled back into a French braid and eyes the color of cornflowers. She had tan almost honey toned skin and stood at what he would have to guess was five foot exactly. At least now he knew what others saw when they looked at him.

He was flipping through a magazine that had been sitting on the coffee table. Next to the couch was a pair of crutches, to help him get around. The door opened and in walked Kim.

"Hey Gina, how are you doing? She asked her roommate.

"I'm better," answered Sam as he tossed the magazine back onto the table.

"I'm glad to hear it," she comments as she walks over to the kitchenette and grabs some water out of the fridge.

"How was the rest of your day?' asked Sam.

"Pretty uneventful, after returning to the gym, you were the big excitement of the day. You seemed so out of it after that crash landing; I'm surprised you don't have a concussion or something like that. The only other thing that happened today like every day was that Kyle made another pass at me. That guy just won't except the fact that I have a boyfriend who I love very much. Even though he so far away we are trying to make it work," replied Kim.

"And what does your boyfriend have to say about Kyle?" asked Sam.

Kim answers with, "I haven't told him. He has a lot going on right now, and I don't want to bother him with something I can handle myself. Besides it would just worry him, and being so far away there is nothing he could do about it anyway."

Sam sees the chamber door open and AL walk in, the door closing behind him. Sam suddenly asks, "Could you help me up, I got to use the rest room?"

"Sure," says Kim as puts down the water and walks over to Sam to help him up. Once on his feet, she hands him his crutches. Just as he is about to walk off the phone starts to ring.

"I'll get it! It's most likely for me anyway," said Kim somewhat excited as she practically bounced over to the phone in the kitchen.

"It's for her. It's her boyfriend back in California. Hurry up and get to the restroom, I've got a lot to tell you and that is not going to be a long call," said AL.

"Walking on crutches isn't the easiest thing in the world," whispered Sam, but he managed to pick up the pace anyway. Soon enough he was in the bathroom with the door firmly locked behind him. He leans the crutches by the sink and sits on the toilet after closing the lid.

"So what have you got on Kim AL?" Sam asked as he looked up at the hologram.

"I've got everything we could find on her. Her full name is Kimberly Ann Hart. She is 17 years old, and an only child of a broken home. Father split when she was 7. Born and raised in Angel Grove, California. Till late last year when she was discovered by coach Schmitt and invited to his facility here to train full time. Currently on the phone with boyfriend of three years Tommy Oliver," answered AL.

"Is that all?" asked Sam.

"No, after having Ziggy take a closer look at the files and report on Kim's case, and that evidence was found that she had some signs of healing in some of the injuries and wounds found on her body, indicating that she was held somewhere and tortured for a few days at least before her body is found, pushing the timeline of her disappearance to the end of this week, at the latest. So keep an eye on her cause something happens in the near future that leaves her vulnerable to abduction," says AL.

"What if it was someone she knew? Knew well enough to go willingly with?" asked Sam

AL types on the keypad of the hand link, then smacks it a few times with the side of his hand, causing it to squeal slightly, then says, "Ziggy says there is a 78% chance of that being the reason. Got a name to go with that?" asks AL.

"Yeah, Kyle," answered Sam.

"Kyle what?" asks AL.

"I don't know, just have Ziggy run a check on all male students here for this year," answered Sam.

"Do you know how many that could be?" asked AL.

"Not too many it isn't that common or popular a name. And besides it must be a fellow athlete cause Kim said that the guy keeps making passes at her when she told him she wasn't interested. That she had a boyfriend at home," said Sam.

"Not surprised about that. Never stopped me, and from the looks of her I can see why he is still trying," said AL.

Sam shakes his head, and then trying to get things back on track asks, "What happens to the boyfriend in the original history after the news of her death?"

AL Punches the hand link's buttons a few times then says, "According to this here, two days after the news reaches him he is rushed into an E.R. 50 miles away from his home town the victim of an apparent motorcycle accident. The reports show he had a blood alcohol level of 1.5 percent, and is left paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life, and bound to a wheelchair."

"Just how old is he?" asks Sam.

"Same age as she is 17," answers AL.

"Then where the hell he get the alcohol from?" asks Sam.

"We can't find any records on that, but the reports prove he did," answered AL.

"So what is he some kind of bad boy or something" asks Sam.

"No according to Ziggy he is as squeaky clean as a teenage boy can be. Definitely more than I was at that age!" answers AL.

"Not everyone was as… single minded as you were," said Sam. Then continued on to say, "And still are."

"At 17 most guys are," responded AL.

"But they grow out of it," remarked Sam.

"Well, getting to the point, this kid is a kind of role model. Good grades, school sports star, community service, the works," comments AL.

"So there is two lives on the line not just one?" asks Sam.

"It seems that way," answered AL.

Suddenly there is a knock on the bathroom door.

"Are you ok in there Gina?" asks Kim somewhat concerned.

Sam quickly opens the door and hobbles out. "I'm ok, I'm fine. Nothing to worry about," answers Sam.

A puzzled, yet concerned looked crossed her face, "I thought I heard you talking to someone in there," she comments.

"Um, just me thinking out loud," he Stammers nervously.

Relief seemed to wash over her features as she accepted his answer.

"That's completely understandable after today," she says.

Quickly changing the subject, "That was a quick call," Sam observed.

Kim sighs and shrugged, "Yeah, he had to go, something important came up."

"Don't just stand there say something! That is girl code for I need to talk about this," said AL as he walks through the bathroom wall and looks him in the eye.

"Um, you really miss him don't you?" asked Sam hesitantly.

AL palms his face in his hand, and then says exasperatedly, "That's what you come up with?"

At his words this remorseful, love sick expression over took her. Seeing this caused Sam's heart to ache, at the intensity of her emotion. Her whole body deflated as she let out a deep, heartfelt sigh, "More than anything."

Just then there was a knock at the door. Shattering the moment and the pain was gone from her as quickly as it came. Her head jerked up as she looked toward the door and asks, "Were you expecting anyone?"

"No, were you?" asks Sam.

"No," she answered.

Kim checked the peephole and suddenly looked confused.

"It's Kyle," she said. Kim opened the door before Sam even had the time to register his confusion.

"Is this the Kyle you were talking about?" asked AL.

Sam slightly nods his head as a que to AL.

"She's Kind of cute, too bad I'm a hologram," comments AL as he looks Kim over from head to toe.

To which Sam clears his throat in que to AL to shut up.

The three see Kyle standing there at the door with a pizza box and a six pack of soda in his hands.

"Please Just listen," Kyle says in a pleading voice. "I'm sorry, we got off on the wrong foot and that I've been a total butt, so I've brought a peace offering," he said, then paused to gauge their reactions.

They remained silent and stone faced, and Kyle took this as his que to continue.

"After our encounter today, I've reflected on my actions and realized I've been a real creep. I haven't intended to come off that way. So can we start over and be friends?" he finished with a dorky smile gesturing to the food.

This guy such a Nozzle! This trick rarely ever works," exclaims AL

"You're right! You were a creep, but if you're willing to admit to it and try to change, then I guess I can forgive you," says Kim.

"I stand corrected, I guess sometimes it does work," says AL.

"Can I come in? Cause if I don't put this box down soon its going to burn my hand," says Kyle as he fidgets with the box.

"Don't let him in Sam! It's a trick, he sees she vulnerable and he is trying to exploit it by pretending to be her friend," says AL.

Before Sam could react Kim says, "Oh, here let me take that," as she grabbed the box from Kyle and hands it to Sam, then steps aside to let Kyle in.

As Kim heads to the kitchen to get plates, Kyle follows closely behind her leaving Sam to give AL a, 'what the hell was I supposed to do look'.

After 20 minutes AL chimes in with, "Geez this is unbearable, you got to get him out of here."

So while Kyle is telling yet another supposedly amusing anecdote, Sam starts anxiously looking around for an excuse to get Kyle to leave. Sam taps Kim's arm and motions to the clock on the wall behind her.

"Looking at the time it's getting close to visitor's curfew," said Sam.

"Oh, you're right, the time certainly flew by. You should get going Kyle," comments Kim in agreement.

Sam catches a quick glimpse of distain in Kyle's eyes but it is gone as quickly as it appears.

"Oh, let me help you clean up first," offers Kyle as he slaps on an obviously fake smile.

"No need, we got it," says Sam.

"Are you sure? Even on your bad foot?" Kyle says while picking up his plate.

Sam managed to coax the plate out of Kyle's surprisingly firm grip. Then hobbles to the door and hastily opens it, then says, "Don't worry about it, wouldn't want you to get into any trouble on our account."

Kim calls from the kitchen," Thank you for the pizza and the company."

"You're welcome. Thank you both for the lovely time, I really enjoyed it," Kyle responded as walked over to the now open door.

Just as he crossed the threshold Sam bid him a quick good night and slammed the door behind them.

Kim walked over to grab the plate from his hand and exclaimed, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I don't trust him. He still seems very creepy," says Sam.

"Yeah he was very creepy, but he did come and apologize," Kim shrugged and looked away, "It takes a lot for a person to do that."

"People don't change that much, that quickly. We have been here-"

AL chimes in "7 months," after quickly looking it up on the hand link.

"7 months, and he has been creepy the whole time, and suddenly 2 hours ago his whole prospective changes? It seems rather suspicious," says Sam.

"You make a good point, but I want to give him the benefit of the doubt," replied Kim as she walked off into the kitchen with the plate.

"Save your breath Sam. The more you push this right now, the more she is going to dig her heels in about this," commented AL.

"So what am I supposed to do?" Sam whispered in reply.

"Give her some time to think, and she might be more willing to listen later on," answered AL. "Meanwhile, I'm going to go back and see what Ziggy can dig up on this Kyle snake," stated AL as he punched a few buttons on the hand link. The chamber door opened he stepped in pressed a few more buttons and the door closed leaving Sam on his own.


	4. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

48 hours later, found Sam planted on the couch that Wednesday afternoon, resting his bad ankle. While he knew his body needed the time to heal, he was going stir crazy just sitting here, while he had a deadline hanging over his head. Just as Sam was reached for another magazine off the table, he saw the chamber door open.

"It's about time AL. What took you so long?" asked Sam.

"Nice to see you too Sam," remarked AL as the chamber door closed behind him.

"It wasn't easy finding anything on Kyle. His last name is Wheeler, but we think that it's an alias anyway, because as of 2 years ago Kyle Wheeler didn't exist.

Kyle leaves the facility exactly a month after Kim is found, Sighting family emergency and mental hardship. He never comes back; In fact he disappears all together for the next three until he is arrested in July of 1997.

He along with several others were involved in a severe bar fight, where they totally trashed the place. But out of everyone he the only one with the extra charges of aggravated assault upon a police officer, and assault with a deadly weapon. According to the reports Ziggy found, Kyle pulled on knife on the arresting officers and started a fight that sent three of them to the hospital for slash wounds of varying severity.

Upon the time of his arrest he has a blood alcohol content 4 times the legal limit. So by that point even though he had the right to remain silent, he just no longer had the ability to. So when the cops start questioning him about the fight, he starts bragging to them about what badass he is, confessing to the fact that his name is really Brad Hurtz, and all the other crimes he had committed including the murder of three separate women, on three separate occasions. Of course once he sobered up he recanted the whole thing.

But it was too late, for once one of the detectives who was there that night started to investigate, his drunken claims were found to be factual. Even though he denied it completely after the first telling there was still enough to convict him. He is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole in upstate New York.

We looked into Brad hurtz he is 22 years old and is as crooked as a three dollar bill. He got a juvenile record as long as your arm. But all traces of him disappear as of 1990. Then in 1992 is when Kyle Wheeler first starts to pop up. Claiming to be 18 years old," explained AL.

"So he made himself 4 years younger?" asked Sam.

"Yeah," answered AL

"Why would someone lie to be younger? I understand doing it to be older, but the other doesn't make sense," Questioned Sam.

"A lot about this guy doesn't make sense Sam. It doesn't take Ziggy to know this guy got to have something to do with Kim's disappearance at the very least," said AL.

"I don't trust him either AL, but what am I supposed to do about it? I can't lock her in her room," Said Sam.

"I realize that Sam but there got to be a way to keep that snake away from her. He trying to confuse her," Said AL.

"For once I agree with you, but how do you know so well what he is doing?" asked Sam.

"Cause I've done this once or twice before," answered AL.

Sam looked at AL with contempt and commented "Of course you have!"

"What! I'm not saying I am proud of it. Just that I was a lot younger then. Never worked anyway, in the end the girl always picked her boyfriend. But considering the impromptu pizza party a few nights back this guy might stand a shot," said AL.

"So what am I to do AL? Save her relationship with her boyfriend as well as her life? I'm no good with matchmaking. Look how I blew girl talk the other night," Said Sam.

Al punched a few keys on the hand link, and then slammed his hand against it a few times; the hand link squeaked and buzzed at this treatment. Then AL punched a few more keys then said, "According to Ziggy there is a 72.8 percent chance that is exactly what you need to do."

Before Sam could reply the door to the apartment opened and Kim walked in. Outwardly she looked calm, but Sam could see a distressed air hanging about her. She flopped down in the chair next to Sam and groaned loudly.

Sam looked concerned at her, and then very hesitantly asked, "What's wrong?"

Kim sighed and then said, "I'm so confused. I've been talking with Kyle over the past 2 days, and he has been so nice," she paused and then said, "I just don't know what I want anymore."

"What do you mean?" asked Sam.

She took a deep breath and sighed deeply looking slightly broken as she opened her mouth to speak, "Kyle made some good points. It's hard to be so very far away from people you love. That eventually you seek out comfort closer to where you are. If that's true I don't want to hurt him like that. He meant too much to me for far too long, he deserves better." She Paused again and then said, "We both do," In a whisper more to herself than him.

"Well you love him, and that might be worth fighting for if anything in life is," said Sam sincerely.

"But I'm not sure if I want to fight anymore," she replied to him.

Stammering for a reply to that statement, Sam decided to just speak from the heart and let the chips fall where they may.

"Maybe that is exactly why you should continue to fight, because that love is the only sure thing at the moment. I know you want to give him the benefit of the doubt, but he just may not be worth it. I feel that this new leaf Kyle has turned over is just some trick to confuse you. I don't know exactly why I feel this way, call it woman's intuition, or gut instinct, or whatever you want, but bottom line I just don't trust him. Not all guys are good guys. Or have such honorable intentions. From all you told me of the guy you have waiting at home for you, you already have a good guy. That is worth holding on to, because there aren't as many out there as there should be."

Kim looked up at him speechless as to what to say in reply.

"Keep it up Sam, I think you're getting to her," remarked AL as he is looking at Kim's face. While her expression was pensive, her eyes were starting to water slightly betraying the warring emotions inside her.

"You don't have to make any decisions right now, or even in the immediate future. Just take your time and really think things through," says Sam.

Kim got up from her chair and hugged Sam.

"Thank you for your concern. I have a lot to think about now. I'm going to turn in for the night." She then walked off into her room and closed the door.

* * *

The next morning both Kim and Sam were up early, even though Sam didn't have to report for Physical therapy till a few hours later. It was Kim's Idea that it be best for her roommate not to get out of the habit of getting up early, for which Sam agreed.

As they sat in the kitchen finishing breakfast Kim asks, "Can you do me a favor Gina?"

"Shouldn't be a problem, what do you need me to do?" replied Sam.

"I need you to mail this for me. I don't have time this morning and the post office will be closed by the time I get of practice." Kim got up and picked up and envelope off the counter and handed it to Sam.

"This is to your boyfriend?" asked Sam.

"Yeah, It is. I thought a lot about what you said; in fact it kept me up half the night. I know in my heart it is the right thing to do for all involved. No matter how much I wish it wasn't," said Kim. As she looked away during the last part of her statement, as if trying to hide the pain it caused her.

"No problem Kim. I'll make sure to take care of it," Said Sam.

She tried to smile at him but it didn't quite pull it off for the expression looked more pained then comforting. She then got up and left for the gym and a day full of training. Sam stared at the sealed envelope in his hands, worried that Kim was making the wrong choice. Sam was not alone long before AL's voice jarred him out of his thoughts and nearly out of his skin.

"How many times have I told you not to do that?" exclaimed Sam.

"I'm a hologram; I can't help the fact that I don't make any noise," responded AL.

"What are you here for?" asked Sam.

"Well Ziggy has been running the numbers and last night didn't change anything. She still disappears in 2 days' time and found dead a week later," answered AL.

"You know you could probably steam that envelope open real easy," AL remarked.

Sam looked at the hologram then said, "That's not a bad idea."

Sam quickly gets up and fills the kettle with hot water and sets it on the stove to bring to a boil. 15 minutes later Sam is holding the envelope over the jet of steam rising from the kettle. The envelope quickly concedes to the steam's power and falls open. Quickly turning off the stove Sam then proceeds to remove the letter and read over it, his heart sinking at its contents.

"It's a Dear John letter," says Sam.

"I knew it, that little weasel managed to pry her away from her boyfriend. He must be the one Sam. She must have gone somewhere with that snake, and that is the reason she disappeared. Guys like that make me sick!" replied AL.

AL looks over the letter in Sam's hands and quickly scans its contents.

"The poor boy going to be crushed," comments AL.

"Not necessarily, what if I replace the letter with one written by the concerned roommate, and tell him how worried about his girlfriend's safety I am," remarked Sam as he rushed to get paper and pen.

Beginning with transferring the boyfriend's name from her letter to his, Starts to write:

_Hi! You don't know me but I'm your girlfriend's roommate. _

_My Name is Gina Coldwell, and I've replaced her letter with this one to tell you something very important._

_Something she most likely wouldn't tell you herself, because she didn't want to worry you._

_But I think you should be worried, very much so in fact. There is a fellow gymnast here named Kyle Wheeler, who has been making passes at and generally harassing the female population as a whole for the past few months._

_He has as of recently, set his sights and interests on Kim, her being his sole focus and it worries me greatly._

_For with her big heart, and capacity to forgive others short comings to see the best of them, is being used against her, blinding her to the very real threat that Kyle represents to her._

_For what I know of him, he is not a good person, but hides it well._

_Though there have been times where I have had the misfortune of seeing the momentary cracks in the façade and a meanness show through that chills me to the very core of my bones._

_My greatest Concern is that Kim will get herself involved in a situation that will be more than she is able to handle, but won't see it till it is too late!_

_I would strongly advise finding a way to come visit her as soon as possible._

_I can only pray that she forgives me for this deception in time, but in in my heart I truly thought it best that you knew of this._

_For I only have her best interests in mind. _

_Sincerely,_

_Gina Coldwell_

"Not bad Sam. That should more than get his attention," commented AL as he read the letter over Sam's shoulder.

"Let's just hope it has the desired effect," stated Sam.

"what exactly is that?" AL asks.

"To possibly get him to come down here and fight for her, or at least get her thinking straight," answered Sam.

"I really think that she just needs to be reminded of what she already has," replied Sam.

Sam quickly sealed his letter in Kim's envelope and set off to mail it before he had to get ready for his physical therapy.


	5. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER: 4**

It was several grueling hours later and it was close to lunchtime. Sam was sweating from his efforts at physical therapy, but was finally able to take a break. With the time he thought he go across the hall and check on Kim and see if she is doing alright. See if she is ready for lunch yet.

As he got into the gym he sees Kim talking to Kyle in a way that seemed all too friendly. He hobbled over on his crutches to the pair.

"Hey Kim, the coach wants to speak to you before you leave for lunch," said Sam.

"Sure thing, wait here for me and we can all go together," responded Kim.

"NO problem," said Kyle with a smile a little too wide to be genuine.

As Kim walks off across the gym towards the coach, Sam turns to Kyle and says, "You know she has a boyfriend, you should really back off."

"Well, let this be a lesson gimpy, I always get what I want, one way or another. Besides as far as that particular hurtle is concerned, I think I'll have that resolved soon enough," answered Kyle with a cruel smile and cold look in his eyes.

Sam looked at the person in front of him with utter disgust. "Why do you want her so badly? I'm sure there are other girls here that are insecure enough to welcome your advances and want to be with you. Why go after the one girl who is happy with someone else?" asks Sam.

"Well I am a guy who likes a challenge, and none of the other girls are up to my standards. Also I don't like the word no. Especially when it is applied to me," answered Kyle in a tone so cold it even gave Sam the chills.

"You won't have her, not if I have anything to do with it! You hear me Brad?" said Sam in a most definitive tone of voice.

Kyle's eyes widened drastically at what Sam called him, without warning Kyle Shoved him backwards extremely harshly, knocking Sam over onto his back.

"I don't know how you found that out, but you won't get the chance to share it with anyone I guarantee it!" Kyle whispered harshly.

Just then we both hear a rather pissed off female voice shout, "What the hell do you think you're doing? How dare you touch her!" It was Kim, and the look on her face was as harsh and stone cold. One thing was obviously clear, that she had witnessed everything. It had broken whatever hold Kyle had on her, and she was finally seeing him clearly.

"But, b-b-but, b-but…" stammered Kyle but was not able to finish even attempting to string an excuse together, for several of the male coaching staff came up and started to drag Kyle out of the gym.

Kim quickly dropped down to her knees to check on her fallen friend. "OH My Gosh! Gina are you alright?" she asked Sam.

"I'll live. Don't worry too much about me," answered Sam.

"Man, if I wasn't a hologram, I'd kick that creep's teeth in! Imagine pushing a woman like that!" Exclaimed AL, announcing his arrival.

Sam groaned as he tried to get up. It was difficult even with Kim's help.

"I'm sorry, I didn't listen to you about him," admitted Kim.

"You wanted to believe the best about him. That is not normally a bad thing to want to look for in people, but it can be dangerous when you start ignoring the warnings of others to do it," replied Sam as he looked into her eyes. "You're not the first person to allow loneliness to cloud your common sense. I'm just glad you see the truth now," said Sam.

"I'm still sorry that you had to get hurt for me to see it," said Kim.

"Small price to pay, to have you seeing clearly," said Sam.

Kim smiled then bend down to pick up the crutches and suddenly froze with the crutch in her hand, and looked at Sam utterly stricken. "Oh, No! The letter!" exclaimed Kim as she quickly drained of all color.

"Don't worry Kim I didn't send it. I knew you see your mistake sooner or later. So I just stopped you from doing something you would regret," Sam replied reassuringly.

Dropping the crutches, Kim quickly stood up and Hugged Sam tightly.

"Thank you! So much," she said.

"You're welcome," said Sam. He could see the vast relief on Kim's face and in her eyes once she let him go.

"Just give me a moment and we can go to lunch," said Sam.

"Sure," she replied, then retrieved his crutches handed them to him then walked off.

"What's going on AL?" asks Sam once Kim was out of earshot.

"You changed history Sam," stated AL as he read the screen of the hand link.

"That's good isn't it?" asked Sam.

"NO, now instead of Kim being found two weeks from now, she isn't found at all. Instead Sometime Friday night, both Kim and Gina go missing," answers AL.

"Friday? As in tomorrow?" asks Sam in disbelief.

"Yes," answers AL with a grave look on his face.

"Great, just great!" commented Sam in a highly sarcastic tone of voice.


	6. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER:****5**

All the next day, Sam was on edge. Not knowing what, or when, or how it was going to happen, but knew that something bad was coming. That he had to figure out how to stop or change whatever it was that was coming. Sam couldn't shake the feeling that Kyle was still going to play a part in this. That he intended to follow through on his threat. The not knowing how was the hard part. Not even Ziggy could find anything on how it happened, just that it does. The day's training went off without a hitch and they were both sitting around the apartment. It was early evening and Sam knew time was quickly running out.

AL suddenly appears out of nowhere and says, "Sam, according to Ziggy whatever is going to happen, will happen in the next 20 minutes."

No sooner had the words left AL's mouth, when a harsh, sudden pounding shook the door and its frame violently.

"I know you 2 bitches are in there," yelled a slurred voice, "Open the damn door!"

"What the hell?" Kim stammered in shock.

"Is that who I think it is?" asked Sam with an upward inflection in his voice.

Taking Sam's que AL went and stuck his head through the door, then quickly pulled back and says grimly, "Yup! Its gets worse, he's got a gun."

"Do you know what you 2 have cost me?" the voice barked.

"Is that Kyle?" muttered Kim as she went to check the peephole. Kim's skin washed pale as she pulled back from the peephole. "He has a gun," she uttered in total disbelief.

"We have to get out of here now!" said Sam as he pulled Kim away from the door by the elbow.

"Exactly how are we to do that?" she asked Sam.

"This unit is on the ground floor Sam. You can go out the window; it's only a few feet drop to soft soil, then a straight shot to the back of the gym. Should be easy to lose him after that," says AL.

"The window, we'll be out of sight before he gets through the door, if we go now!" answered Sam.

Sam rushed over to the window and urgently threw up the sash, while Kim looked torn between running and fighting, as the onslaught on the door and the violent slurred threats continued.

"Come ON!" Sam exclaimed, as he was already straddling the window sill, and holding his hand out to her in frenzied invitation. Making her choice she hurried over to Sam, who helped her through the window. As soon as her feet touched down and she moved out of the way, Sam jumped from the Window, even though the jump was short and the landing relatively soft, his injured ankle still protested at the impact with the ground with a jolt of pain that shot right up his leg.

"Let's go," says Sam with a grimace spread across his features. He tried to push passed the pain but its presence did not go unnoticed by Kim.

"How bad is it?" she asked.

"I'll live," was Sam's answer.

They quickly started to make their way across the open ground to the nearest building which was the gym. They weren't even halfway across the open space when they both heard the unmistakable noise of a gunshot. The shock caused them both to pause for a moment. In that moment the much fainter sound of the wood of the door finally collapsing under the prolonged abuse. Sam Snapped out of it first and pulled her back into a now much quicker paced sprint for cover, their haste causing Sam to limp slightly. In the distance a very savage howl of frustration echoed from the direction they came from.

* * *

After a few tense moments and some broken glass they finally managed to gain entry to the gym. All the while the echo of encroaching footfalls hounded them. As quickly as possible the pair tried to navigate the unfamiliar back hallways and offices in almost total darkness, they stopped for a moment and noticed that the footfalls had fallen away leaving an almost eerie quite in their wake.

"That is not a good sign. Did we lose him?" asked Kim in hushed tones.

"Unlikely. He just probably stopped to catch his breath or something," Sam answered in a similar manor.

"So, now what?" she asked.

"You are going to find a phone and call 911. Our best bet is if someone knows we need help and where to look for us. I'll try to cover you and create a distraction if necessary," replied Sam.

"Why should you get to be the decoy? Between the two of us I'm the quicker moving one and I'm uninjured," stated Kim.

"It's for just that reason that I'm covering you. You're moving faster, so you have a better chance of getting to a phone before me. Now go," ordered Sam. She nodded her head in response, and went off to full fill her mission.

As soon as Kim was out of sight Sam stage whispered, "AL, where exactly is Kyle now?"

"I'll check. Gooshie center me on Kyle," AL called out then disappeared. He popped back into place besides Sam after a few minutes.

"He just crawled into the entrance you and Kim came thru. You got to move from here or he'll find you in a matter of minutes," answered AL.

"Ok, I'll try to distract him. You go check on Kim make sure she is alright," says Sam.

"Gooshie center me on Kim," AL called out and just like before disappearing like a popped soap bubble.

Sam quickly started to move down the dark hall and through the first door on the right that opened. That led to another hallway, after traveling about halfway down the second door he tried on the left opened to revel the utility room/equipment storage area.

* * *

AL popped into a deeply shadowed office to find Kim huddled under a desk talking into a phone receiver.

After hearing Kim say, "send help as soon as possible to the gymnastic complex on Sycamore Street."

AL says, "Good girl! You call for help, wait why am I telling you, you can't hear me any way."

Suddenly an enormous crash was heard in the distance. Kim dropped the phone and bolted to the door. Only to find that it had locked behind her. "No, No, No, NO!" she stated out loud to herself as she fought futilely with the door.

"Hold on Kim, I'll get Sam. Gooshie center me on Sam," said AL, and in a blink he was gone.

AL reappeared just in time to see Sam crawl out from under a mountainous pile of boxes and excess junk.

"What the hell are you doing?" asked AL.

"Creating a diversion," answered Sam as he dusted the thick layer of chalk dust from his body.

"How's Kim doing?" asked Sam.

"Well the good news is she called 911 and help should arrive in 25 minutes. The bad news is that she is trapped in one of the offices. The door must have locked behind her, after she went in. If you don't hurry and get her out of there, Kyle will find her in 15 minutes," answered AL.

"How do get there?" asked Sam.

"Go back to the place you spilt up, then you go straight for about 20 feet. There will be a hallway on your left. Go the down it and she should be in the office that is the 5th door on your right," said AL.

"Go back and check on her let me know when I get close," said Sam.

And with that AL disappeared again.

* * *

Sam quickly retraced his steps to his starting point then tried his best to follow AL's directions. When he reached what he thought was the hallway AL described, he called out to him just under normal volume. He quickly saw AL's body leaned halfway out through the door. As soon as he saw Sam he stepped out of the office completely.

"Hurry up Sam, she starting to lose it in there," stated AL.

Sam rushed over to the door and said, "Kim, stand back I'm going to try to get the door open."

Grabbing the knob, the door opened with little resistance. Kim came shooting out of the office and into Sam.

"What happened to you? I was worried that…" She said but Sam cut her off.

"We have to get away from here…" Sam said, but trailed off as he caught sight of a dark shadow at the other end of the hall, followed by the glint of metal even in the dim light. Sam grabbed Kim's arm and they both took off running, just as an unmistakable click and bang echoed behind them in the empty hall. Plaster and dust rained down on them as the rounded the corner, for the bullet impacted the wall just above their heads, eliciting a startled cry from Kim.

They both ran blindly down the dark hallways, as the sound of footsteps trailed not too far behind them. Finally, they came to a large door, at the end of the hallway they were in. With no other choice they threw it open and dashed through it. Closing it behind them, and wedging a chair under it in an attempt to barricade it. They were in the main practice area of the gym proper. Which was not really a good thing considering it was a large open space with very little to offer in the way of coverage or places to hide. They raced over to one of the other exits on the far side of the gym, only to find it locked tight. Halfway between the door they left, and another possible exit, the door they came through started to shake violently. Their meager barricade quickly buckled and gave way, letting the door fly open to reveal an enraged Kyle. While they were completely exposed out in the open, trapped with a dead end behind them and Kyle standing between them and There only means of escape. From the look on Kyle's face he knew it to, and reveled in this information.

AL came in suddenly through the door they never made it to and said, "This one is open…" he trailed off when he saw them cornered by Kyle. "Oh, Boy!" he said.

'Now that I have your undivided attention, let me explain exactly what you 2 have cost me," said Kyle in a scary kind of calm tone to his voice with just the hint of malice laced along the edges. The fact that he was holding a gun on them helped as well.

"You don't have to do this Kyle…" Kim started to say but was cut off by Kyle as he shook his head and said," Tisk, tisk, tisk. Let's not play dumb now Kim it doesn't suit you."

"What are you talking about?'" Kim asked as her confusion was clearly painted across her face.

"I'm sure by now your gimpy, wisp of a roommate has told you, that Kyle isn't my real name. I don't know how she found out, but it's of no consequence because it won't leave this room anyway. So I have no problem telling you, the Kyle you know is a complete illusion, a mask so to speak to fool the world and allow me to get the things I want. The real me isn't quite as pretty a picture. So I had to put Brad Hurtz and all his troubles aside, and create Kyle. I figured that while I was recreating myself I might as well start at the beginning and shave of a few years," he said.

"Brad it's not too late to stop this, you can let us go now and walk away. You don't have to do this," pleaded Sam.

Brad let out a small chuckle at Sam's words, the kind that sent chills down your spine, and sounded like a stereotypical movie villain laugh, "Oh, but it is, and I do." The newly dubbed Brad shook the barrel of the in Sam direction. "You see your little stunt yesterday cost me my place on this team and in this gym. Kyle's reputation is now as besmirched as Brad's in the world of sports, Or at least this one. All the time and effort put into creating a squeaky clean image, and working towards a goal gone. It's not as easy as just starting over now either. First off at my age I don't have the time to start over, I'm already older than most in this sport at Kyle's age, let alone my own. Secondly, and most importantly, my face is too well known from my time here to ever be able to pull off a second attempt at gymnastic achievement, athletic glory. So within the scope of a few minutes you managed to rob me of years of hard work."

Brad staggered a few steps forward as he jerked the gun in Kim's direction.

"And you, the shameless tease, you're so full of yourself that you flaunt yourself around the gym without any regard for whose head you turn. So when someone finally does show interest, you crush them completely by calling them creepy, saying you already have a boyfriend, "His voice escalating in volume towards the end, while still slurring his words. "You had to play hard to get. You knew I'd chase you, and you enjoyed watching me do it. You needed that to feed your sick little ego."

The swinging the gun back in Sam's direction so quickly he almost lost his balance in doing so. "From day one, you undermined me, cut me down, anything you could do to poison Kim's mind against me, to keep us apart, YOU MEDDLING LITTLE BITCH!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. "Actions have consequences, time to pay for yours!" Brad screeched then cocked the gun. Before he could pull the trigger, Brad suddenly crumpled to the floor, leaving the three of them looking into the face of Kim's boyfriend.

Kim barely had time to utter the word, '_How?'_ when Brad scrambled to his feet and took a swing at him, which he easily dodged. Instinctively he delivered a blow to Brad's mid-section knocking him to the ground and jarring the gun from his grip.

The gun skidded away across the gym floor, causing both guys to scramble after it. A wrestling match ensued over the gun shortly thereafter. In the next moment the unmistakable yet muffled sound of a gunshot echoed off the gym walls, and both guys fell still.

"**TOMMY!" **Kim Shrieked, the name sounding as if it had ripped itself from her throat in the most painful way possible.

In the deafening silence of the next moment, nothing moved, nor did the three eyewitnesses breath until one of the bodies started to move. It wasn't until the person got to their feet, that they knew who it was. Kim ran over and threw her arms around her boyfriend holding him tightly. He quickly returned the gesture, holding on to her for all he was worth.

"AL is he…?" asked Sam.

"Yeah, the bullet ricocheted around in him like a pinball. Punctured several vital organs, it was fairly quick," answered AL.

Sam turned just in time to hear Kim ask her boyfriend, "How?"

"Let's just say I took the express," he answered with a smirk.

"You're going to get into trouble for that, aren't you?" Kim asked.

"Doesn't matter Beautiful, it was worth it, besides I think saving your life will weigh heavily in my favor, so it shouldn't be too bad." He answered.

"How did you know to come?" Kim asked him.

"After I got that letter I panicked. I knew you needed me right away." He answered.

"What letter?" Kim asked. Then she turned to Sam and says, "You told me you didn't send it."

"No, I said I didn't send your letter, I never said I didn't send a letter. I wrote him to tell him about Kyle, because I thought he needed to know," Answered Sam.

"I'm glad she did, so I was able to be here when you needed me. Next time even if it seems insignificant, tell me. Let me be the judge on what's worth worrying over." He said to her, as he looked deeply into her eyes.

"I will, I promise." She answered him.

As the couple drew into a deep kiss, Sam walked off a bit to give them some privacy.

"What's going to happen with them, AL?" Sam asked softly.

AL types on the hand link for a minute or two then answers, "They are going to make it. They go on to get married after Kim wins multiple gold medals in the Olympics in 1996, then goes on to give birth to twins in 1998, a boy and a girl. He goes on to drive race cars for a few years, then college."

"What about Gina?" Asks Sam, while in the distance, the faint sound of a police siren could be heard approaching.

"She then goes on to the Olympics with Kim and wins Sliver. She then goes on to study physical therapy. They also remain friends with each other through to the present day." Answers AL.

"With Brad's death, you changed history for the better Sam," says AL.

"Good!" states Sam, as he looks over at the happy couple, who were lost in each other's embrace, and smiles.

This image was the last thing Sam saw, as the blinding light and all engulfing surge of energy that came with leaping over took his senses. Within a moment he was gone, off to the next life, and problem in history that needed to be fixed.


End file.
